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Israeli Airstrikes Against Hamas Kill 2 In Gaza Strip

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By ISABEL KERSHNER, The New York Times

Published: January 20, 2008

JERUSALEM - An Israeli airstrike killed two members of the Hamas military wing in the northern Gaza Strip early Saturday, and two Qassam rockets fired by militants from Gaza landed in the Israeli border town of Sderot and a nearby village, causing no casualties.

The Israeli army said another airstrike was aimed at a vehicle carrying weapons in northern Gaza early Saturday, but no casualties were reported, and that a small ground force entered Gaza, arrested four armed Hamas militants and took them to Israel for questioning.

The relative calm followed four days of heightened violence during which 39 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, according to hospital officials in Gaza. At least six were civilians.

The Israeli military said its actions were aimed at distancing "terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas," from the border fence and at reducing rocket fire into Israel. More than 130 rockets were fired at Israel in the past week, the army said.

A U.N. official in Geneva on Saturday condemned Israel's actions, particularly the Friday bombing of an empty Hamas Interior Ministry. Shrapnel from the missile strike killed a woman and wounded as many as 46 people.

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